A cold front moved through the area during the evening and produced a few severe thunderstorms in Orangeburg and Clarendon counties. One tornado was confirmed.
Every event with a place to put it. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS CAE wrote it up.
A cold front moved through the area during the evening and produced a few severe thunderstorms in Orangeburg and Clarendon counties. One tornado was confirmed.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Columbia, SC wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Mar 28, 1:48 PM EST, 2 hours 13 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC
248 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009
.SYNOPSIS...
A WARM FRONT WILL SHIFT NORTH THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING...THEN A
COLD FRONT WILL SWEEP THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL
BUILD IN MONDAY THEN SHIFT EAST TUESDAY. A FRONT WILL MOVE INTO THE
REGION TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
SEVERE WEATHER THREAT THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT IS THE MAIN
CONCERN. WARM FRONT CURRENTLY STRETCHED ACROSS CENTRAL SC. MAIN COLD
FRONT STILL WELL TO OUR WEST. AS WARM FRONT SHIFTS
NORTH...COMBINATION OF SHEAR AND INSTABILITY WARRANTS A SEVERE
THREAT. TORNADO WATCH CURRENTLY IN EFFECT UNTIL 8PM FOR THE SOUTHERN
TIER OF OUR FA. SEVERE STILL POSSIBLE AFTER 8PM AHEAD OF THE MAIN
COLD FRONT. MODELS INDICATE CONSIDERABLE INSTABILITY CONTINUING
AHEAD OF THE MAIN COLD FRONT WITH CONSIDERABLE LOW AND MID LEVEL
JET. SOME TSRA CURRENTLY DEVELOPING AHEAD OF MAIN FRONT ACROSS W
GA. MAIN COLD FRONT TO COME THROUGH LATE TONIGHT/EARLY SUNDAY
MORNING.
&&
.SHORT TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY NIGHT/...
CLEARING AND BREEZY CONDITIONS EXPECTED BEHIND THE FRONT SUNDAY.
LATEST INDICATIONS ARE THAT WIND SPEEDS COULD REACH LAKE WIND
ADVISORY CRITERIA. WINDS SHOULD DIMINISH SUNDAY NIGHT...AND HIGH
PRESSURE WILL BUILD IN MONDAY.
&&
.LONG TERM /TUESDAY THROUGH SATURDAY/...
GFS AND ECMWF INDICATE A SYSTEM OR TWO TO AFFECT US MID TO LATE
WEEK. SOME TIMING UNCERTAINTIES EXIST. 00Z ENSEMBLE MOS GUIDANCE
INDICATE QUITE A SPREAD IN POPS WITH HIGH STANDARD DEVIATIONS.
GENERALLY ACCEPTED HPC GUIDANCE...BUT CAPPED THE POPS AT 50 FOR
NOW DUE TO ABOVE UNCERTAINTIES.
&&
.AVIATION /19Z SATURDAY THROUGH THURSDAY/...
HIGH LOW-LEVEL MOISTURE WITH ISENTROPIC LIFT WILL CONTINUE AHEAD OF
THE COLD FRONT. ALL GUIDANCE POINTS TOWARD MVFR OR IFR CONDITIONS
THROUGH THE EVENING. EXPECT THERE WILL BE NUMEROUS SHOWERS AND
POSSIBLY THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THE STRONG FRONT. IFR CONDITIONS
WILL OCCUR IN SOME OF THE SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WITH THE
POTENTIAL FOR STRONG WINDS. THE COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA IN
THE 09Z-12Z TIME-FRAME. IT WILL BE BREEZY BEHIND THE FRONT.
EXTENDED AVIATION OUTLOOK...STRONG WESTERLY WINDS WILL CONTINUE
THROUGH SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
&&
.CAE WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
SC...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TO 11 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR SCZ015-
016-018-020>022-025>031-035>038-041.
GA...LAKE WIND ADVISORY FROM 4 AM TO 11 PM EDT SUNDAY FOR GAZ040-
063>065-077.
&&
SYNOPSIS...31
NEAR TERM...31
SHORT TERM...31
LONG TERM...31
AVIATION...73HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 323 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 GAZ040-063-064-SCZ015-016-018-020>022-025>029-290030- LINCOLN-MCDUFFIE-COLUMBIA-LANCASTER-CHESTERFIELD-MCCORMICK-NEWBERRY- FAIRFIELD-KERSHAW-EDGEFIELD-SALUDA-LEXINGTON-RICHLAND-LEE- 323 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 11 PM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. GAZ065-077-SCZ030-031-035>038-041-290030- RICHMOND-BURKE-AIKEN-SUMTER-BARNWELL-ORANGEBURG-CALHOUN-CLARENDON- BAMBERG- 323 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 ...TORNADO WATCH 90 IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM EDT THIS EVENING... ...LAKE WIND ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM TO 11 PM EDT SUNDAY... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR EAST CENTRAL GEORGIA AND CENTRAL SOUTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. TORNADO WATCH. LAKE WIND ADVISORY. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. LAKE WIND ADVISORY. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 233 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 SCZ041-281930- BAMBERG- 233 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS LIKELY IN BAMBERG COUNTY... THUNDERSTORMS APPROACHING FROM THE SOUTHWEST WILL MOVE INTO PARTS OF BAMBERG COUNTY BETWEEN 300 PM AND 400 PM. THESE THUNDERSTORMS WILL LIKELY CONTAIN WIND GUSTS NEAR 40 MPH... FREQUENT LIGHTNING...AND HEAVY DOWNPOURS. A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT. REMEMBER...A SMALL INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR USUALLY OFFERS THE BEST PROTECTION FROM SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AND TORNADOES. LISTEN FOR LATER STATEMENTS OR POSSIBLE WARNINGS FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE. JL
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE COLUMBIA SC 404 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 SCZ028-031-036>038-041-282100- BAMBERG-CALHOUN-CLARENDON-ORANGEBURG-RICHLAND-SUMTER- 404 PM EDT SAT MAR 28 2009 ...STRONG THUNDERSTORMS WERE AFFECTING BAMBERG...CALHOUN... CLARENDON...ORANGEBURG...RICHLAND AND SUMTER COUNTIES... AT 402 PM EDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED STRONG THUNDERSTORMS ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 16 MILES WEST OF ORANGEBURG TO SMOAKS...OR ALONG A LINE EXTENDING FROM 16 MILES WEST OF ORANGEBURG TO 14 MILES WEST OF SAINT GEORGE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. PEOPLE IN CALHOUN...EASTERN BAMBERG...ORANGEBURG...SOUTHEASTERN RICHLAND...SOUTHWESTERN SUMTER AND WESTERN CLARENDON COUNTIES...INCLUDING THE CITIES OF BRANCHVILLE...ORANGEBURG...AND HOLLY HILL...SHOULD MONITOR THE WEATHER SITUATION CLOSELY. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE WARNINGS AND BE PREPARED TO TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION SHOULD SEVERE WEATHER THREATEN. WINDS 40 TO 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS. REMEMBER...A TORNADO WATCH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM. REPORT LARGE HAIL...DAMAGING WINDS OR FLOODING TO YOUR COUNTY SHERIFF...OR CALL THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN COLUMBIA TOLL FREE AT 1 800 7 7 5 7 1 9 9.
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</html>The Columbia radar (KCAE), 87 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:01 UTC.
2 thunderstorm wind, 1 tornado. Local standard time, as filed.
Electric company reported several trees and powerlines down on highway 6 near vance.
Two veteran spotters photographed and video taped the tornado as it touched down in the woods off of Bill Davis road and traveled northeast just east of Davis Station. Numerous trees were down but there was no structural damage as no homes or buildings were in its path. Photo coutesy of Gerard V. Jebaily, KI4LJT.
Sheriff reported trees down on Diles Bay road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in South Carolina in 2009Every state in 2009This day in weather historyThe tornado archive for South Carolina, 2009Warnings in South Carolina, March 2009
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-10-01. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 153267, 153269, 153268.